Method of clearing mine fields



Feb. 16, 1960 Y B. WALKER 2,925,038

METHOD OF CLEARING MINE FIELDS Original Filed Aug. 30, 1944 'E era/e id tanks BrnuKE Walker United Sttes Patent METHOD OF CLEARING MINE FIELDS Brooks Walker, San Francisco, Calif.

Original application August 30, 1944, Serial No. 551,941.

Divided and this application September 19, 1958, Serial No. 762,186

2 Claims. (Cl. 102-23) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This application is a division of my application Serial Number 551,941, filed August 30, 1944, and now abandoned.

My invention relates to a method of clearing mine fields and its general object is to provide a method of this character in which land mines or other explosive charges may be exploded in a given area, thereby clearing that area of such mines and explosive charges, from a safe distance from the area, and contemplates the spraying, wetting or saturating of the area to be cleared with a plurality of liquids, which, when mixed or in composition constitute an explosive but which, taken alone, are non-explosive and, therefore, safe to handle. The invention further contemplates the use of conventional high pressure nozzles, mounted in a tank or other suitable vehicles, and connected to containers for the separate liquids. The arrangement contemplated may be such that the liquids may be mixed at the nozzle, prior to the spraying, or they may be mixed during the projected spraying, or they may be sprayed alternately until the ground in the area to be cleared is thoroughly wetted or saturated. The vehicle and containers may then be backed off or removed a safe distance and the functioning of the explosive charge elfected by any conventional means, such as by firing incendary or explosive ammunition or launching explosive shells into the ground in the wetted or saturated area.

The single figure of the drawing illustrates, diagrammatically, one manner of spraying an area with a plurality of liquids, and detonating the sprayed area.

It may very well be impractical, due to the depth of the area to be cleared, to obtain a cleared path entirely across the area with a single operation. It will be apparent, however, that this method lends itself to a series of operations or clearing, the first operation clearing a portion of the area, and the succeeding operations clearing a path further into and across the area of the mine field.

There are a number of liquids, well known in the art, which alone do not constitute an explosive, but when mixed or in composition constitute a highly explosive charge, and by thoroughly wetting the ground with such 2,925,038 Patented Feb. 16, 1960 liquids, either alternately or mixed prior to or during such wetting, an explosive charge is thereby provided for the wetted area, the functioning of which will clear the area of any mines laid therein by exploding same, whereby the area may safely be traversed.

I do not desire to limit the invention to specific liquids, as there are a number of such liquids that may be elfectively employed. However, by way of example, the mixing of 1) nitric acid and sulfuric acid in proportions of roughly 50% each, and (2) glycerin; or (1) nitric acid and (2) glycerin. In the foregoing examples, the resulting composition or compound is nitroglycerin and the liquids should not be mixed prior to spraying, but the liquid should be sprayed alternately, as nitroglycerin is extremely sensitive and might explode prematurely. Other combinations, by way 'of example are (1) nitrogen peroxide and (2) benzine; and (1) nitric acid and (2) benzine. In each of these examples the mixture, whether mixed in the nozzle prior to spraying or during projected spraying, or whether sprayed on the area alternately, should be about 50% of each liquid disclosed, except in the case of nitric acid, and sulfuric acid with glycerin, in which the nitric acid and the sulfuric acid are first mixed (about 50% of each) and placed in one container and later mixed as described with about 50% glycerin.

It will be obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefor, as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it is adaptable, and it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as claimed.

I claim:

1. A method of clearing an area of explosive mines which comprises withdrawing from separate sources a plurality of liquid explosive components which separately are relatively insensitive to detonation, but which sensitize on mixing, intermixing said components in a nozzle and projecting said mixed components from said nozzle on said area by spraying and projecting into said area a detonating means.

2. The method of causing detonation over a wide area comprising providing a plurality of separate liquid explosive components which separately are relatively insen- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 325,538 Hayes Sept. 1, 1885 1,187,981 Doucette June 20, 1916 2,298,255 Hopkins Oct. 6, 1942 2,366,373 Voorhees Ian. 2, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Science, February 1944, page 119. Div. 10.)

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1. A METHOD OF CLEARING AN AREA OF EXPLOSIVE MINES WHICH COMPRISES WITHDRAWING FROM SEPARATE SOURCES A PLURALITY OF LIQUID EXPLOSIVE COMPONENTS WHICH SEPARATELY ARE RELATIVELY INSENSITIVE TO DETONATION, BUT WHICH SENSITIZE ON MIXING, INTERMIXING SAID COMPONENTS IN A NOZZLE AND PROJECTING SAID MIXED COMPONENTS FROM SAID NOZZLE ON SAID AREA BY SPRAYING AND PROJECTING INTO SAID AREA A DETONATING MEANS. 